There must have been something in Ashley’s voice that alarmed Frankie, because he was waiting for us at the elevator door when it opened on the basement floor.
“What?” he said. “Talk to me.”
“I think it’s better if we talk in the clubhouse,” I said.
“I know that tone of voice, Zip,” Frankie said. “It’s your ‘we got a problemo’ voice. The one you used when you messed up and didn’t record The Moth That Ate Toledo for me. Man, that sucked.”
“Haven’t I apologized enough for that?”
“Right. I forgive you. So, what’s up? What’s the problem?”
“Let’s go sit down in the clubhouse,” Ashley said.
“Great idea, Ash,” I said, a little too quickly. “Let’s take a load off.”
Ashley and I headed down the hallway, past the laundry room, toward the storage room that we use as our clubhouse. Mrs. Fink was in the laundry room, hanging up her gigantic delicates on a wooden rack next to the dryer.
“Hi, Mrs. Fink,” I called as we turned the corner.
“Hi, children,” she called. “If I knew you were coming down here, I would’ve brought cherry strudel.”
“That’s okay, Mrs. Fink,” Frankie called out. “We’re not going to be here that long.”
“That’s what he thinks,” Ashley whispered to me. “It’s going to take him a while to get over this news.”
“After he hears this, he’ll wish he had some cherry strudel,” I whispered back. “With ice cream on top.”
As we rounded the corner and came into the clubhouse, Ashley and I both pointed to the couch at the same time.
“Have a seat, Frankie,” we said together.
“I will not sit until you guys tell me what is going on,” he said.
“We’re just going to tell you flat out,” Ashley said. “Go, Hank. You start.”
“Actually, Ash, I was thinking that you’d be the better person to explain the situation.”
“But you know, Hank, when it comes to explanations, you’re the king.”
We had completely stopped paying attention to Frankie. When we turned around to face him, all we saw was his back because he was on his way out the door.
“I can’t take this anymore,” he said on his way out.
Ashley grabbed his left arm, or maybe it was his right—I never get that straight. And I grabbed whichever arm was left. Together, we yanked him back into the clubhouse and onto the purple flowered couch that had once belonged to Mrs. Park on the seventh floor. When he landed, he almost disappeared in the cloud of dust that shot up when he hit the cushion. I had a sneezing fit, which was good because it gave me a chance to get my thoughts together.
“Okay, you two,” Frankie said. “I’ve done everything you asked. I hurried down here. I’m sitting. Now spill.”
This was the moment. I took a deep breath and put together the most gentle sentence that would break the news the easiest. But what came out of my mouth was:
“Sorry, dude. Your mom’s pregnant.”
Ashley just stared at me. “I said to tell him,” she whispered, “but I didn’t mean to tell him…not like that, anyway.”
Frankie looked at me like I had just spoken in a mixture of Chinese and Turkish.
“Let’s back up here, dude,” he said. “My mother is what?”
“Pregnant.”
“My mother, Lani Townsend, who lives in my apartment, is what?”
“Pregnant.”
“No, dude. You got the wrong Lani Townsend. My mother has two sons, eleven and thirteen years old. She is not about to have a child who is zero years old.”
“It’s true,” Ashley said. “We know.”
“How do you know and why don’t I know?”
“Because it’s on my kitchen calendar. Right there in red letters. Your mom and my mom are going to the baby doctor tomorrow for your mom’s appointment.”
Frankie just sat there, stunned, trying to wrap his brain around the idea. I could just imagine what was running through his head.
“I know what you’re thinking, dude,” I said to him. “That you’re going to have to share your room with someone you’ve never met. That you’re going to be ignored. That all the attention is going to the baby. That your parents won’t have time for you because a baby needs so much care and energy.”
“Actually, I was thinking about if I’m going to have to listen to baby music all day long, because I can’t listen to ‘Wheels on the Bus’ twenty-four seven. That is completely unacceptable.”
“Maybe he’ll like the one about the old lady who swallowed a spider,” Ashley said cheerfully. “That’s got a better beat.”
Frankie didn’t respond. He wasn’t taking the news well. Ashley and I just kind of stood there, waiting for him to say something. Suddenly, he shot up off the couch and bolted for the door.
“I’ve got to go talk to my mom,” he said. “This is weird. Why didn’t she tell me about the baby?”
“Because parents are weird,” I said. “They never do what you’re expecting them to do.”
“Yeah,” Ashley agreed. “Your mom is probably planning to break the news in a surprise way. I’ll bet she’s planned a fantastic dinner with all your favorite foods.”
“Maybe even party hats,” I added.
“And then when she brings out the dessert, which would be both lemon meringue pie and your other favorite, butterscotch pudding, each with a candle stuck in them, she’ll tell you the exciting news herself.”
“Yeah,” Frankie said. “This is about as exciting as a screen door in a submarine.”
I laughed really hard and loud. Much harder and louder than the situation required. But can you blame me? I was trying to make him feel good.
“And listen, man,” I said. “You’ve got to act surprised when she tells you. Otherwise, we’re going to get in trouble for spilling the beans.”
Frankie turned and headed for the door. Suddenly, he stopped when his eyes landed on one of the storage shelves that was stacked with old furniture. I followed his eyes to see what he was staring at. It was a white cradle with folded pink blankets inside. I remember that cradle. It was Emily’s, and my parents kept it in their room, next to their bed, when she was a baby. Even though I was really little when she was born, I remember hating the fact that she got to sleep in their room, and I had to stay all alone in my big-boy room.
That cradle was definitely the wrong thing for Frankie to see at the wrong time. I had to do something.
“Hey, listen, Frankie, remember you still have us. Ashley and I are right there for you, no matter what.”
“Even if you get ignored a little at first, we’ll never ignore you,” Ashley added.
“Yeah, we’re only a phone call away,” I added.
“One short elevator ride,” Ashley said.
“When the baby’s puking or pooping or has gas, you can always stay at my house,” I said. “My room is your room.”
“Thanks, guys,” Frankie said. “But I can’t talk about this anymore. I need time to think.”
“It’s almost dinnertime, anyway,” Ashley said, glancing at her pink rhinestone watch. “Let’s all meet down here after homework, say at seven o’clock.”
Frankie just nodded and headed for the elevator. Ashley and I watched him walk down the hall. He didn’t have that Frankie Townsend bounce to his step. As a matter of fact, I had never seen him walk that slowly.
“It’ll be okay,” Ashley said to me.
“Yeah, in about fifteen years,” I answered.
“I’ll meet you back down here at seven,” Ashley said. “We should bring cupcakes. Do you have any?”
“No.”
“Me either.”
“I know,” I said. “I’ll bring my Game Boy. His is broken. He can borrow it for as long as he wants.”
We headed out of the clubhouse and over to the elevator. Boy, I hate to say this, but I was sure glad this wasn’t happening to me.